Spiller

“ To be complimented by Spiller, the idol of the public—an actor—and she adored [Pg 162] actors—was like the condescension of a god. She dropped him a low curtsey.
"Oh, and you're in the fashion too. How long have you been a fine lady?"
Spiller's voice and manner had become slightly serious. Lavinia was too familiar with London life not to understand the inference.
"I owe it all to Mr. Gay," she answered quickly. "He is the kindest hearted man in the world. You see he spoke to her Grace the Duchess of Queensberry about me and she sent me to school in Queen Square." ”

“ Each man carried his blanket and rations, his gun and ammunition. Every morning Spiller pointed out the course to be taken and led the way. From time to time, with a look of extreme wisdom, he took observations of the position of the sun, and studied the direction of his own shadow on the ground. For five days the men followed him with great confidence, and then they found that their rations were all consumed, and there was no sign of Western Port or any settlement. They began to grumble, and to mistrust their captain ”

“ What have we done? the wretched bailiffs cry, That th' only man by whom we liv'd, should die! Enrag'd, they gnaw their wax, and tear their writs, While butchers' wives fall in hysteric fits; For sure as they're alive, poor Spiller's dead; But, thanks to Jack Legar! we've got his head. He was an inoffensive, merry fellow, When sober, hipp'd; blythe as a bird, when mellow.” For Spiller's benefit ticket, engraved by Hogarth, twelve guineas have been given! There is another, of more dramatic interest, with portraits of himself and his wife in the Cobbler of Preston. ”

“ Lavinia hardly knew what to say to this, and she turned to Spiller for advice. Huddy saw the look of doubt on her face, and went on with his argument.
"It's this way, miss. I don't say as you didn't play to-night to my satisfaction—thanks to my rehearsing of you—but you've got a lot to learn, and, by God, you won't learn it better anywhere in the world than with me. Ask Mr. Spiller—ask Mr. Hippisley. They know what's what, and they'll tell you the same."
Spiller nodded.
"You've made a good beginning, but the more practice you have the better. Isn't that so, Mr. Gay? Mr. ”

“ Ica Construction Corp. v. Reich 55 F.3d 636 (1995) United States v. Spiller 55 F.3d 636 (1995) Martin v. Questcare Corp. of B'Ham 55 F.3d 636 (1995) Watts v. Stone 55 F.3d 636 (1995) United States v. Stewart 55 F.3d 636 (1995) Bankston v. La Nat'l Life Ins. Co. ”

“ I have often been up on the rigging of the 'Saint George', in the crow's nest, and even on the very highest yard. I know every bit of the rigging of the ship. O Father, let me climb up right now."
The teacher looked at Willy earnestly and raised his finger chidingly. "Willy," he said, "you've got that stubborn little head of yours set again. How often have I told you that it is not becoming for you to insist on having your own way. No, you cannot climb up to the dome under any circumstances. ”

“ The vessel swept on. The wind tore the sails to shreds. The sailors cast the anchor. With a thud it went into the sea, and for a moment held the vessel.
"Cut the masts," thundered the Captain. The sailors obeyed orders, but with the first stroke of the ax, above the roaring of winds and waves came the awful human cry: "The anchor is lost! We're drifting!"
"God have mercy on our souls," cried Green crossing himself, and the Captain fell on his knees, moaning, "Mercy, mercy, O Lord, have mercy on us!" ”

“ Flip screamed and fought, biting and clawing like a little wild beast, and the night was full of her screams and the man's snarls and the banging of boards and shutters and the cries of disturbed birds. Neither of them saw when a shutter was blown loose from a turret window and came flying down to strike Flip on the head. She dropped like a wounded bird to the snow and lay there, motionless. She did not see the man staring at her limp body in horror, nor know when he picked her up and went into the chateau with her and dumped her there in the dark, a small inert bundle on the stone floor. ”

“ With my hand thrust again into my pocket, I remarked, without even so much as a glance at him:
“I fear that you do some injustice to the police. We are not such bad fellows; neither do we waste as much time as you seem to think.” And drawing out my hand, with the little filigree ball in it, I whirled the latter innocently round and round on my finger. As it flashed under his eye, I cast him a penetrating look. ”

“ The proprietor and his two friends at once ceased speaking, and regarded the quartet of sailors with looks of suspicion and surprise.
"Where's that sleepy boy we saw in the cabin, and who ordered us into this devil's hold?" demanded Old Spicer. "Is he going to keep us waiting all night for our grog?"
The proprietor slowly arose to his feet.
"You want grog, do you?" he asked, drawing near their table.
"That's just what we want," answered Old Spicer, emphatically—"rum, mind ye, cap'n, genuine St. Croix rum."
"That's it, shipmate," exclaimed Rouse; "no belly-wash for us." ”

“ Damme, boy; you're jumping about like an old woman looking for a flea in a bed. Move, boy, move; the ball's the flea, and you're the old trout. Bite it, boy, bite it; stamp on it; take out your fork and stick it with that." The ball came to rest; the new arrival mopped his brow. "Did I ever tell you how to kill a man with your dinner fork, by sticking it into his neck? I will some day; it's a good death for a Hun."
"Did you catch that there swine, sergeant?" Another voice from the squad took up the tale. ”

“ All honored and trusted Green as a man true to his duty and a brave comrade; the Captain's nephew was the favorite of the crew, and everybody liked faithful little Peppo. What did it all mean? Now before their very eyes the helmsman had attacked the first officer and the Captain, and even commanded the Chinamen to be insubordinate, and the boys openly had taken sides with the helmsman.
"Green has lost his mind," cried an old sailor.
"It must be so," answered his companion. "Perhaps he is moonstruck; more than one good fellow has gone moonstruck in the tropics." ”

“ A white object sprang with a bound over the brig’s quarter, dipping below the surface of the calm sea, and when it came up, two great flippers, with a large black head between them, struck out like the paws of an alligator, breasting the water with a speed that soon brought him within a few fathoms of the schooner’s low counter. ”

“ Spike was turning angrily to chide his Mexican friend for deranging his aim, when the report of an answering musket came back like an echo. Every eye was turned toward the figure, but it moved not. Then the humming sound of an advancing ball was heard, and a bullet passed, whistling hoarsely, through the rigging, and fell some distance to windward. Every head disappeared below the bulwarks. Even Spike was so far astonished as to spring in upon deck, and, for a single instant, not a man was to be seen above the monkey-rail of the brig. Then Spike recovered himself and jumped upon a gun. ”

“ Redfox ought to do that himself," said the helmsman to himself. "But no, he forces the boy before him out on the yard, orders him to stand up and unfasten the rope. The inhuman wretch!—That means the boy's death. It is no easy task even for an experienced seaman. And he is not even holding him by the belt, only by the bottom part of his jacket.——Now he is holding him tighter. There——O holy Mother of God the boy is falling!" Green closed his eyes for a moment and gasped. "No, he is sliding along the yard. Hold fast, Willy, hold fast for two or three minutes. I'll come to help you." ”

“ When he turned there was a wicked-looking gun in his hand, and even the semblance of good humor was gone from his face.
“Slippers, you took a poke off a friend of mine up there in the trading-post. I’ve come to get it.”
It was a bold guess and a steady bluff, but it worked. Slippers retreated slowly until his back was against the frame of the tiny window. The light was shining full on the gambler’s face and brought out no sign of uncertainty or of mercy. Slippers read danger-signals, and, knowing the man, feared delay would prove dangerous. ”

“ The first distinct words which met the Parson’s ear, came from the lips of the Skipper, pronounced in a sharp, acid, querulous sort of tone; such as superiors sometimes indulge in, when they are fixing on the shoulders of an inferior the blame they shrewdly suspect all the while, ought, if justice had its due, to rest on their own. ”

“ Children in their games, which are often imitations of the practices of men, make use of the spittle. When playing at games of chance, such as odds or evens, something or nothing, etc., before the player ventures his guess he consults an augury, of a sort, by spitting on the back of his hand, and striking the spittle with his mid-finger, watching the direction in which the superfluous spittle flies, from him or to him, to right or left, and therefrom, by a rule of his own, he determines what shall be his guess. ”

“ Has not the recruiting officer of the rich Natse been to your village?—Oh, it is so small and hidden away that he does not deem it worth his while to go to you, and then, besides, the three hundred who are wanted have announced their intention to go, for who would remain here and tiresomely drag out existence with the niggardly sums to be made from fishing when elsewhere the gold lies in such heaps that one can pick up whole bags full in a few days? ”

“ You have never in all your life seen anything so beautiful,—green, and red, and blue, and yellow lanterns,—and all the people,—and the sky-rockets,—and the puppet show. Wouldn't you be sorry to have to stay at home for punishment while all of us boys go to the show?" Willy was almost persuaded and hesitated a moment; then he struck his heels into the ground defiantly and said:
"Never mind, Peppo, Father Somazzo won't catch me, and, if he does, I won't tell on you. Now you've got to help me over the wall, and I'll climb up on the other side where he can't see me from the house. ”

“ They do not flock together. That is no doubt just as well, for I have great respect for the flicker. He is a whimsical old codger, very prone to talk to himself and go through strange gymnastics in a rather ridiculous way, but the flicker is honest. He brings up a large family in the strictest probity and I have never known a flicker to do a wrong thing. On the other hand, the blue jay is a thief, a mocker and a murderer. Just now he is living honestly on nuts and wild fruit, taking almost as many acorns as the squirrels and making a great deal of talk about it. ”

“ So he said simply:
“If the Squire must be told, Master Lionel, tell him to-night, after dinner, when he is sipping his port.”
“Right! I will.”
“You made no excuse to me, make none to him.”
“Right again, you, you—sage.”
Fishpingle pointed to the river. “A trout is rising just beyond that stump. He lies under it, a whopper.”
“Is he? Do you know, Fishpingle, there are moments when sport seems to me a poor substitute for other and more exciting things. You’ve excited me. You have come up from under your stump, and you’re a whopper. ”

“ But do you really think they may yet be in one or the other of these vaults?"
"I think it's quite possible."
"Then suppose only one of us hunts for the treasure, while the other searches for the murderers."
"Very good, which task do you prefer?"
"To hunt for the villains."
"Very good again. Only let me warn you, don't let them get a shot at you from some dark recess."
"I'll look out for that;" and Morgan recommenced his search for the fugitives, while Old Spicer began looking for Jake Klinkhammer's treasure. ”

“ Many a scandal is connected with the broad, brown-stone mansions which line fashionable Fifth Avenue. This story takes the reader into such a mansion and makes him the witness of a terrible tragedy enacted therein. A powerful and fascinating detective romance.
206. OLD SPICER AND HIS RIVAL.—The second in the series of famous stories concerning the celebrated Yankee detective. Old Spicer may have many rivals, but none of them can equal the old man in ability to spot the perpetrators of a dastardly crime. ”

“ Thus I watched, through the typical stages of the sport: the delicate flip of the bait into the current at just the right spot; its swift descent, imperceptibly guided by the rod’s quivering tip; its slower drift toward deep water; its sudden vanishing, and the whir of the reel as the line goes out; then the pause, the critical moments of “feeling for him”; at last the strike ... and then, a flopping in the grass behind me, and Jonathan crawling back to kill and unhook him. ”

“ One afternoon I had put up my rod and strolled down to the river where one of our party was whipping a pool of the Big Hole, trying to induce a fish to strike. He said: 'There's an old villain in there; he wants to strike but can't make up his mind to do it.' I said: 'I have a fly that will make him strike,' and as I had my book in my pocket I handed him a No. 8 Pitcher. He made two casts and hooked a beautiful trout, that weighed nineteen ounces, down. I regard the Pitcher as the best killer in my book. ”

“ Spalding, as everybody within a hundred leagues of the capitol knows, is a lawyer of eminence, full of good-nature, always cheerful, always instructive; a troublesome opponent at the bar; a man of genial sympathies and a big heart. If I have given him, as well as Smith, a nom de plume, it is out of regard for their modesty. We arranged to meet at the cars, the next morning at six, each with a rifle and fishing rod, to be away for a month among the deer and the trout, floating over lakes the most beautiful, and along rivers the pleasantest that the sun ever shone upon. ”